Typha latifolia L., Typhaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 26 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: kuan ye xiang pu

English: Cooper's reed, broad-leaf cattail, cattail, common cattail, giant reed-mace, great cattail, soft flag

French: roseau des étangs

Spanish: espadaña común, piriope, totora, tule espidilla

Habit:  aquatic herb

Description:  "Plants usually coarse and stout; stems 1-3 m long.  Leaves 12-16 per vegetative stem, pale green, nearly flat, 8-20 mm wide, sheath open to base, the scarious upper margins tapering or rarely truncate.  Staminate and pistillate spikes contiguous or occasionally separated by an interval up to 2.5 cm long; staminate spikes pale brown, the flowers with simple hairs, stamens on branched filaments, pollen yellow or occasionally orange, in tetrads; pistillate spikes dark brown, 10-18 cm long, 1.5-3 cm in diameter, flowers without scales or hairs, on slender, often hair-like, compound pedicels 1-2 mm long.  Fruit ellipsoid, (0.9-) 1.2-1.5 (-1.6) mm long"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1614).

Habitat/ecology:  "Freshwater wetlands, marshes, riparian habitats, coastal estuaries.  This plant grows vigorously in shallow waters and forms dense monospecific stands that reduce species richness and eliminate native vegetation.  Such stands impede the water flow and increase bank erosion and siltation.  Through anaerobic decay of excess plant material the water may become polluted"  (Weber, 2003; p. 443).

In Hawai‘i, "sparingly naturalized in low elevation, marshy sites"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1614).

Propagation:  Seed and rhizomes.  "Seeds are dispersed by water and remain viable for long periods of time.  Newly established plants spread rapidly by rhizome growth and expand laterally"  (Weber, 2003; p. 443).

Native range:  "Eurasia, northern Africa, and North America" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1614).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Staples, George W./Imada, Clyde T./Herbst, Derral R. (2003) (p. 19) Voucher cited: C. Imada & R. Englund 2001-13 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1614)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1614) Voucher cited: Liu s.n. (BISH)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
British Columbia (province of Canada) Province of British Columbia	Canada (British Columbia)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Northern China.
Japan Japan	Japan	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 88) Cultivated only
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (pp. 372-373)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (pp. 372-373)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (Oregon)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (Washington)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  Additional control information from the Bugwood Wiki.

Physical:  "Hand pulling is practicable for scattered plants and small infestations.  Mechanical cutting below the water line plroved to be effective in killing the plant, the best time is at the end of flowering".

Chemical:  "A number of herbicides are used for chemical control, e.g. glyphosate, amitrole, dalapon, 2,4-D or TCA.  Success depends on time of application and density of infestations"  (Weber, 2003; p. 443).